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Exploring OWAMcap Data

Practical guide to viewing and analyzing OWAMcap recordings using different tools and workflows.

📁 Sample Dataset

Download our example dataset to follow along:

Preview: example.mkv

🔍 Exploration Workflows

Choose the approach that fits your use case:

Best for: Visual exploration, beginners, sharing with others

OWA Dataset Visualizer provides synchronized playback of video and events.

OWA Dataset Visualizer

Quick Start:

  1. Visit the visualizer link
  2. Upload your .mcap file or enter a HuggingFace dataset ID
  3. Use timeline controls to explore synchronized data

Limitations: 100MB file limit for public hosting → Self-hosting guide

💻 Command Line Analysis

Best for: Quick inspection, scripting, CI/CD pipelines

The owl CLI provides fast analysis without loading video data:

Common Commands:

# Get file overview
owl mcap info example.mcap

# List first 10 messages
owl mcap cat example.mcap --n 10

# Filter by topic
owl mcap cat example.mcap --topics screen --topics mouse

# Convert to subtitle format
owl mcap convert example.mcap  # Creates example.srt

Example Output: 

library:   mcap-owa-support 0.5.1
messages:  864 (10.36s duration)
channels:  screen(590), mouse(209), keyboard(32), window(11)

🎬 Video Player with Subtitles

Best for: Visual timeline analysis, understanding user behavior

  1. Generate subtitle file: 

    owl mcap convert example.mcap  # Creates example.srt

  2. Open in video player: Use VLC or any player that supports subtitles

  3. Load example.mkv
  4. Load example.srt as subtitles
  5. See events overlaid on video timeline

Download example: example.srt [Download]

🐍 Python API

Best for: Custom analysis, data processing, integration

For programmatic access, see the OWAMcap Format Guide which covers:

  • Reading and writing MCAP files
  • Working with media references
  • Advanced filtering and processing
  • Custom message types

🔧 Analysis Workflows

📊 Quick Dataset Overview

# Get basic stats
owl mcap info *.mcap

# Compare multiple files
for file in *.mcap; do
  echo "=== $file ==="
  owl mcap info "$file" | grep -E "(messages|duration|channels)"
done

⏱️ Event Timeline Analysis

# Extract events to subtitle format for timeline view
owl mcap convert session.mcap

# View in VLC with subtitles to see event timing
vlc session.mkv --sub-file session.srt

🎯 Topic-Specific Analysis

# Focus on user interactions
owl mcap cat session.mcap --topics mouse --topics keyboard

# Screen capture analysis
owl mcap cat session.mcap --topics screen --n 100

🛠️ Creating and Modifying Files

For programmatic creation and editing of OWAMcap files, see the comprehensive guide in OWAMcap Format Guide, which covers:

  • Writing MCAP files with Python API
  • Custom message types and registration
  • Media handling strategies
  • Advanced usage patterns

📊 Next Steps